It provides food for hawks, a nesting site for ducks and breedingground to beneficial bugs, and it enriches the soil where it grows. Itis alfalfa, a lush, green forage crop known to most consumers only as a character in "Little Rascals." Grown on more than 1 million acres in California, the crop's direct value in 1995 was more than $700 million. However, its benefits go beyond the economic value, according to UC Davis agronomist Dan Putnam. Insects, gophers, ground squirrels, voles, rabbits and even deer and elk abound in alfalfa. Although often a nuisance for farmers, the smaller animals are an excellent food source for more majestic wildlife species. Studies have shown that migratory hawks and falcons, and a wide variety of other birds, including many on federal and state "threatened" and "special concern" lists, seek out alfalfa fields. "The idea is popular among environmental groups that when you grow a crop in a region, wildlife and nature are automatically losers," Putnam says. "We have found that alfalfa is beneficial for many wildlife species and has many positive, environmental attributes."